Long time lurker here, but recently ran into a problem when buying my first "real" bike.

I did some research on some bikes, got a feel of what was recommended on these forums and went for a few test rides when I narrowed my decision down to the bikes listed in the title. Basically, want a comfortable yet fast bike (hybrid), with decent parts and a cost of around +-$700. Because of my size (i'm 6'5, 220 lbs) I was leaning towards the Jamis Coda because of the steel frame and the overall feel of the bike but the Coda has the lowest quality components of the three and costs roughly the same.

I put a deposit down on the Coda but the bike is late to the store and I have to wait another 10 days before I can ride my bike. Because of this, I'm looking into the other two bikes.

The 2014 Coda cost me $728 (including fenders and tax), the 2014 Quick 4 can be had for $800, and the 2012 Dew Deluxe for $900. Given these prices and what I'm looking for, do you guys still think the Coda is a good buy? I'm in Toronto, Canada and have been struggling to find good bikes for good prices. I'm not adverse to shopping online for the bikes as I know what size frame I need from the test rides done.

Thanks for your input!

Oh, and if you're interested, I've been riding a 2010 Specialized for a year-and-a-half and have used it as my learning bike. I've done all the upkeep and learned how to repair the bike so I think I'm ready for a substantial upgrade.

The plot thickens: Just got back from my LBS and found a 2013 Giant Escape 0 for $700. Now it's really a matter of 2014 Coda vs 2014 Quick 4 vs 2013 Giant Escape 0

It's hard to argue with the quality of the Giant, for the price required.................MHO

DowneasTTer

04-19-14 08:03 AM

I had two 13 Giant Escape RX0's last year. They were in fact super bikes for the $$. The Giant quality/price ratio is quite high for current year pricing, even better for left overs. I don't think you could do better. But, the most important thing is how it feels to you while riding it. Give it a good spin. For me I sold the two alum based hybrids and bought this years composite version.

grimm

04-19-14 03:19 PM

Yeah, looked at the specs of all the bikes and the Giant just blew them all out of the water. Deore derailleurs, Carbon forks, better wheels and lightest frame of the bunch sealed the deal. The grips are the only thing I really don't like about the bike, they're just too small and uncomfortable. Any recommended upgrades on the bike?